Learn How To Make a Modulated Pad in FM8

In this tutorial, Johnny will show you some great techniques for creating a modulated pad in FM8. These tips will help introduce movement into your pads!

If you didn’t catch the tutorial on general tips and tricks of pad design in FM8 you can check it out here: Pad Design in FM8

FM8 has powerful modulation options and in this tutorial, Johnny puts them to work by creating a modulated pad in FM8 that would work well with a lot of genres.

First, Johnny creates the actual sound using the Operators. The bulk of this modulated pad in FM8 is made up of Sine waves. Johnny uses one instance of the 1+3+5 Square waveform. There are six total operators active counting Operator Z.

For this modulated pad in FM8, it is important to set up the envelopes properly. As with most pads, you are going to want to add some release to the ADSR.

You can also create custom envelopes with numerous nodes which creates a sort of LFO. You can use the loop button to create and simulate movement. Johnny creates custom envelope shapes for both Operators C and X. This is what will create the modulated movement.

Applying some effects like chorus, flanger, reverb and delay will help thicken up the sound and add more life to it.